Start Again Series: A Billionaire Romance Box Set Read online

  “That’s fine. Are you thinking a museum, or walking, or one of those bus things?”

  I laugh, nudging his arm with my shoulder and marveling at how…normal it feels to do so. To touch him like that. “Hadn’t given it that much thought yet, Ryan. I thought you weren’t a planner?” I tease.

  He smiles crookedly down at me. “Fine. You got me. Lead on then, little Katie. I’m at your disposal today.”

  We end up finding a place to eat, where we can sit outside, and after scarfing down an entire salad filled with yummy things, we start to walk toward the White House, which is only a few blocks down.

  “It’s such a pretty city,” I say, holding my arms out wide. “I mean, I always knew it was designed and built like this on purpose, but you just don’t expect this sort of cleanliness and charm in such a large city, ya know?”

  “Yeah,” he agrees. “I come down here with some frequency for work, but I rarely walk around or take in the architecture.”

  “Do you think you’ll miss the East Coast?” I ask, genuinely curious for my own reasons as much as his. I’ve lived in the Boston area my entire life. I even went to college there, so the idea of leaving is hard, since it’s all I’ve known.

  But I’m looking forward to the change just as much.

  “Maybe some parts of it,” he says, giving my question some genuine thought.

  That’s actually a nice thing I’ve noticed about Ryan. He listens to you when you speak. Not only that, he makes it seem like everything you’re saying or asking is important. That’s such a rare thing. I feel like people are always talking over each other, interjecting their thoughts and opinions without really taking in what the other person is saying. I didn’t think it would be this easy to talk to Ryan. That I’d like it as much I do. He’s… different than I expected him to be.

  “Not enough to stay, though.”

  “Must be a good job for you to move so far away from your family. Especially when you don’t fly.” We’re walking toward the Capitol Building now, away from The White House. The wide berth of Pennsylvania Avenue flanked by the eighteenth-century whitewash buildings provides the perfect amount of eye candy to keep me enthralled.

  “The flying thing is relatively new, not that I enjoyed it so much before. My family will come visit me if they want. Kyle has already promised to come skiing in December.”

  I smile. “It’s nice that you’re so close. Where did you go to school?”

  “MIT.”

  I look up at him in surprise. “Really? How did I never meet you again if you were in Boston when I was?”

  He shrugs, looking down at me quickly before turning his eyes back up to the buildings.

  “You weren’t available.”

  “Huh?” I have no idea what that means.

  “I’m four years older than you, Katie, so when I was in college, you were still in high school.”

  “Oh. Right.”

  That makes sense, I guess. I mean, what college kid wants to meet a high school kid? Can you say jailbait? Not that anything would have ever happened between us. I was with Eric, and like Ryan said, he’s four years older than me.

  I was fourteen when he was eighteen. Gross.

  It’s funny how age can go from meaning so much to so little. Four years doesn’t seem like much of a difference anymore now that I’m in my late twenties. I have friends who married men five and six years older than them.

  The thought that Ryan is not so much older than me now, that he’s actually the perfect age for me, suddenly makes me blush furiously. I turn away from him, hoping he doesn’t catch it, as I pretend to take in the city around us. I’m not oblivious to how good looking he is. Tall, muscular, piercing green eyes that feel like they can see through me. Not that I’m interested. I’m not.

  But four years. That age difference means very little now.

  4

  Ryan

  * * *

  We spend all afternoon walking around the city, and by the time we make it back to the hotel, we are both exhausted.

  “I’m going to take a nap, I think,” Katie says as she leans her tiny body against the back wall of the elevator. “You said we’re not going out until eight, right?”

  “Yes.” I check my watch. “It’s almost five now. Is that okay?”

  “Perfect,” she says through a yawn. “Sorry.” She covers her mouth. “All the driving and walking wore me out, plus I didn’t sleep well last night.” She looks up at me with a smirk. “I was a little nervous about meeting you this morning.”

  I laugh lightly. “Me too,” I lie, and she knows it, because she snorts out a laugh.

  “Don’t tease me.” She nudges me as we step off the elevator and walk toward our rooms at the end of the hall. The plastic keycard swipes along the outside of her door and the mechanical lock disengages, allowing her to open it up. “I’ll see you at eight. Thanks for today. I had fun.” She gives me a sleepy smile before shutting the door behind her.

  I enter my room, dropping down onto my bed face-first with a heavy bounce, sinking contentedly into the plush bedding. My eyes shut instantly only to open again what feels like two minutes later to a pounding on my door. A groan slips from my lips as I pry myself out of bed slowly before putting my glasses back on. The bright red numbers of the bedside clock tell me that it’s 7:14.

  Shit. How did that happen?

  It’s still too early for that to be Katie, but I’m not surprised when I open the door to see Tommy on the other side. “What’s up, dude? You look like shit.” His standard greeting.

  “You too, asshat.” Tommy brushes past me, dropping himself into a chair and kicking his feet up on the desk. “Make yourself at home,” I say dryly.

  “Hey, I got you these nice digs.” I throw him a look, and he holds his hands up in surrender. “Which you more than deserve,” he amends quickly.

  “What are you doing here, man?” I yawn, rubbing my hands up and down my face under my glasses, trying to wipe the sleep away. “I thought we said eight?”

  “We did, but I wanted to get here early to talk some business, and to find out about the lady you’re traveling with.” He bounces his eyebrows at me suggestively.

  “What business?” I ask, ignoring the comment about Katie. I’m just not ready to share her with this douchebag yet.

  “It’s about a new app I’m developing.” His fingers intertwine behind his head as he leans back casually in the chair. “I’d like you to take a look for me. Do all the usual checks, and when it hits the market, I’ll give you fifteen percent.”

  “Twenty,” I respond in a bored tone like it doesn’t matter much to me either way, because even though I’m curious about what he’s got going on, the money doesn’t drive me anymore.

  He pretends to think this over for a minute, his dark eyes slightly narrowed at me. “All right. Twenty.” This must be important to him otherwise he never would have caved that easily. “I’ll send it over to you later.”

  “Sure,” I walk over to my suitcase and pull out a t-shirt and jeans for me to change into after I shower. My hand comes up to scratch my beard, which has gotten way out of control. I should trim it, but I don’t have the energy to do it tonight.

  “So, this girl?” he starts, and I should have known he wouldn’t let it go. “Katie Taylor is it?”

  “It’s Kate to you, dicklick.”

  He smiles that wide, greasy smile I hate. “But she’s Katie to you?”

  “Don’t start,” I warn, because Katie is different, and I don’t want him making her uncomfortable. “She’s been through more than you can imagine, so none of the usual slimy bullshit you like to pull with women.”

  “Slimy bullshit?” Tommy says with mock indignation. “I’m always a perfect gentleman.” He smiles again, and it sort of makes me want to punch in his perfect teeth. “So she’s hot, huh? Smoking body?”

  I do my best to hide my frustration and anger, because he’ll just feed off of it.

  “Tommy, I’m
not messing with you on this. She’s been through the deepest levels of hell, man. I’m not gonna say it again. Don’t.”

  I sit on the edge of the bed and level him with my eyes. It’s not my place to tell Katie’s story, and from what I can decipher about her in the brief time we’ve spent together, she doesn’t like to talk about herself. So I won’t do that, but Tommy needs to know she’s off the market all the same.

  He examines the deliberate and weighted look I’m giving him. Ever so slowly, his arrogant, cocky grin slips, and he nods. “I’ll be good,” he promises.

  “Thanks, man. I’m going to go grab a quick shower. I’ll meet you down in the bar.”

  “You kicking me out?”

  “Absolutely.” I stand up and head to the bathroom. “As much as I love you, I’d rather not have you in my room when I come out of the shower naked. See you at eight.”

  I shut the bathroom door, effectively dismissing him, and start the shower. In the back of my mind, I know that once Tommy sees Katie, he’ll push the limit with her. Katie is tenacious, and I have a feeling she can hold her own, but the thought of him hitting on her and making her uncomfortable grates on me.

  I feel protective over her for some reason.

  Maybe it’s what I know she’s been through, or that I know she’s in search of a new life.

  I don’t want a piece of shit like Tommy to hinder any progress she’s making with it. Whatever the hell it is, I want to see that smile she showed me earlier on her sweet face again, and I’ll do what I have to do to make that happen.

  By the time I shower, throw on my clothes, and run a brush through my hair it’s almost eight, so I check my phone and write out a few emails before I need to grab Katie.

  When the knock on my door comes, it surprises me.

  Girls are always late, and I figured Katie was no different. When I open the door, my fucking breath catches in my damn lungs as I take her in.

  Katie is stunning.

  She’s wearing a dark pink halter neck dress that looks like it’s made out of the softest cotton, hugging her curves and stopping just above her knees. Matching strappy wedge sandals adorn her adorable feet. Her long, platinum blonde hair is piled on top of her head in a messy bun and she’s wearing just enough makeup to make her golden skin look sun-kissed and radiant. Her lips are a glossy raspberry and her eyes sparkle with a hint of something silvery. She’s a princess. A fantasy.

  “You look beautiful,” I say before I can stop myself.

  She smiles sweetly. “You look good yourself,” she nods at my graphic tee, and for once, I wish I were wearing something nice. I look down with a slight scowl. “No,” she says quickly, obviously noting my expression. “I’m serious.” I look up at her and she’s nodding in approval.

  “You ready?” I ask, and she nods, taking a step back to allow me to walk out. “You’re taller,” I comment, staring down at her, unable to drag my eyes away.

  “Four inches, but I’ll take what I can get. You make me feel like a Lilliputian,” she laughs. “I needed to help that out a bit.”

  “Does that make me Gulliver?” I laugh.

  “Yeah. Sorry,” she peeks up at me with wide blue eyes. Blue eyes that are the most intense blue I’ve ever seen. Like the sky before it storms. “You are sort of a giant next to me.”

  We step off the elevator, and I point in the direction of the bar where we’re meeting Tommy. “How tall are you?”

  “Five foot one and a half,” she mutters, and I laugh out.

  “That half an inch makes all the difference, huh?”

  “You bet your ass it does. Us little people need those precious half inches.”

  We enter the well-lit bar, and I spot Tommy nursing a beer down at the end of it under one of the televisions. “Well, tonight you’re five foot five and a half.”

  She nods, smiling big like that was the best compliment anyone has ever given her.

  Damn… this girl. She hits me on a different level. On a level I wish I didn’t have with her since she absolutely does not look at or think of me the same way.

  Tommy spots us, holding a finger up in the air before tossing some money on the counter as he downs the rest of his beer, then heads in our direction. His eyes widen as he takes in Katie, and then a slow, easy smile spreads across his face.

  I know that look.

  And it pisses me the fuck off.

  Tommy stops in front of us, staring right at Katie and waiting patiently for an introduction I now don’t want to make.

  “Katie, this is Tommy Madigan,” I say to her before looking at Tommy. “Tommy, this is Kate,” I emphasize her name to him.

  Tommy sticks out his hand and she places hers into his. “A pleasure,” he says in a sultry tone, and instead of shaking her hand, he kisses the back of it. Douchebag.

  Katie doesn’t fall for it. “You too.” She gently pulls her hand out of his grasp. “Thank you for the room; it’s very nice.”

  “It’s my pleasure,” he purrs, taking a small step into her personal space. “I would have offered for you to stay with me in my apartment. It’s so big and I rarely have people to share it with—” I roll my eyes. “—but Ryan here,” Tommy juts his thumb in my direction, “insisted on a hotel,” he says this like it’s the most selfish thing in the world. Dick.

  “That’s so kind of you to have offered your home to us, but Ryan knows how much I love hotels, so he was doing me a favor with that,” she smiles sweetly, and inside I’m half-shocked and half-smug. She just fucking nailed him, and we all know it.

  “Well, I’m glad you’re enjoying it then,” he looks to me. “We should go.”

  We walk into The Hamilton and are seated quickly in one of the livelier bar areas. This place is big and crowded and loud, and Katie has gone quiet since we entered.

  The waitress comes over, and after Tommy flirts with her for a few minutes, he orders us a round of tequila shots and margaritas. I have no idea what kind of drinker Katie is, but I don’t want her getting sick so when the waitress comes back with our drinks, I suggest that we order some food.

  After we place our order, the waitress leaves and Tommy raises his shot glass after he and I both salt-up our hands. Katie doesn’t, I note.

  “To nights we’ll never remember, shared with friends we’ll never forget.” It’s the same toast he’s been using since college, but I don’t comment, and neither does Katie.

  I lick my salty hand, smashing the granules between the roof of my mouth and my tongue before tossing back the clear liquid. It burns all the way down my throat and I quickly take the lime into my mouth, sucking out the juice to ease it.

  Tequila has never been my favorite. I’ll do it because it’s there, but I don’t order it for myself.

  Katie closes her eyes as she drinks hers down, lowering her glass back to the table and licking her lips like she’s savoring the flavor.

  I stare, mesmerized, and I can feel Tommy doing the same, because damn that’s sexy as hell. Her eyes open and she picks up a lime wedge, sucking on it once before dropping it into her glass and licking the remaining juice off her fingers. I’d give anything to know what that tastes like on her. My cock twitches at the thought.

  “Jesus, Kate, if I knew you took shots like that, I wouldn’t have ordered anything else.” I’m not really disagreeing with him on this, but I still throw him a look that says be careful.

  Katie blushes, clearing her throat.

  “How long have you lived in DC, Tommy?” she asks, changing the subject away from herself.

  “I moved here after I graduated MIT.” He pretends to think about this, but I know he’s hoping that Katie will remark on where he went to school. She won’t. She’s not impressed by bullshit like that. “Nine years, I guess,” he finishes when she doesn’t indulge him.

  Katie nods, pulling the elastic from her hair and letting her long blonde mane tumble down her back as her fingers massage her scalp. Does she have to do that? Be the sexiest woman I’ve ever seen
?

  “Look, Mommy.” A little girl’s voice startles us, our heads turning in unison to the sound. “It’s Rapunzel,” the little girl with brown hair and eyes says, pointing at Katie.

  The mother looks mortified and bends down to her daughter. “No, sweetie. That’s not Rapunzel.” She looks up at Katie. “Sorry.”

  Katie waves her away like it’s nothing before she looks at the little girl with a soft smile that lights up her eyes.

  “Is Rapunzel your favorite princess?” she asks, and the little girl nods enthusiastically. “Mine too,” she winks conspiratorially. The little girl, who can’t be any older than five, giggles.

  “Mommy and Daddy are taking me to Disney World to meet her next week.”

  “You’re such a lucky girl. I’m jealous,” Katie smiles, and the mother thanks her with her eyes before leading her daughter away from us.

  The second they’re gone, Katie’s smile falls and her expression morphs into utter devastation.

  “Excuse me,” she whispers, getting up and walking in the direction of the bathroom.

  Tommy throws me a look that asks, what just happened, but doesn’t say anything. She’s gone a good five minutes, and I’m stuck here listening to Tommy blather on about bullshit I could care less about.

  My mind is stuck on Katie.

  When she returns, our food has arrived, but she just picks at her burger, hardly eating a bite. The difference in her is extreme, and I feel terrible for it, considering I know the cause.

  Only someone who has experienced that kind of loss can understand what she’s feeling, but that doesn’t mean I don’t sympathize.

  Tommy prattles on the entire time, and either he’s completely oblivious to the shift in her demeanor, or he’s trying to compensate. Regardless of the reason, I’m grateful for it because I find myself at a loss for words as well.

  After dinner, Katie says she’s tired and wants to head back to the hotel. I insist on walking her, despite her protests, with the promise of meeting Tommy back at the bar.